Nigeria Removed from EU High-Risk AML/CFT List
Nigeria has achieved a major international milestone in its fight against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing with its official removal from the European Union’s list of high-risk third countries under the EU Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.
The decision is contained in the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) C (2025) 8460, adopted on 4 December 2025, in line with updates from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) October 2025 Plenary. The regulation takes effect from 29 January 2026.
The regulation also confirms the removal of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania from the EU high-risk list after they successfully exited the FATF list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring, having addressed identified strategic AML/CFT deficiencies.
The European Commission acknowledged that Nigeria and the other delisted countries have strengthened the effectiveness of their AML/CFT regimes, closed key technical and operational gaps, and fulfilled commitments under their FATF Action Plans, leading to their removal from the FATF grey list in June and October 2025.
Nigeria’s removal reflects the strong political will and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose administration prioritised financial system integrity, inter-agency coordination and compliance with international standards. The achievement also resulted from sustained collaboration among the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies, regulators, supervisors, the judiciary, the private sector and development partners.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, described the decision as a significant affirmation of Nigeria’s collective reform efforts.
“This decision represents an important external validation of Nigeria’s steady progress in strengthening its AML/CFT/CPF framework. It demonstrates that consistent reforms, effective coordination and strong national ownership can translate into tangible international outcomes,” she said.
Nigeria’s removal from the EU high-risk list means that financial transactions between Nigeria and the European Union will no longer be subject to enhanced due diligence requirements associated with high-risk jurisdictions. This is expected to ease compliance burdens, support smoother cross-border financial flows, and enhance Nigeria’s attractiveness for trade, investment and financial partnerships with EU member states.
In an increasingly competitive global trade environment, the delisting strengthens Nigeria’s position as a reliable economic partner, reinforcing Europe’s role as a key destination for Nigerian exports and a source of investment and financial services.
Beyond the immediate economic benefits, Bakari noted that the development strengthens international confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and underscores the country’s standing as a cooperative and responsible participant in the global financial architecture.
She highlighted the NFIU’s role in coordinating national AML/CFT/CPF efforts, improving the quality and use of financial intelligence, and supporting supervisory, investigative and prosecutorial authorities nationwide.
“This achievement is the product of collective national effort. While we welcome this progress, it also places a clear responsibility on all stakeholders to sustain momentum, guard against complacency and continue strengthening our systems in response to evolving financial crime risks,” she added.
The NFIU reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement with the FATF, GIABA, the European Union and other international partners, and to working closely with domestic stakeholders to maintain compliance and deepen the effectiveness and resilience of Nigeria’s AML/CFT/CPF framework.
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit is Nigeria’s national centre for the receipt, analysis and dissemination of financial intelligence related to money laundering, terrorist financing and related predicate offences. It is a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units and works closely with domestic and international partners to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system.
